Quotes and news
No theological argument against women priests
Cardinal José da Cruz Policarpo, the Patriarch of Lisbon, said there is “no fundamental obstacle” in Catholic theology that would preclude women’s ordination in the future.
He added, though, that he is not advocating women’s ordination, because of a “strong tradition” within the Church that restricts the priesthood to men.
Cardinal Policarpo was appointed coadjutor to the Patriarch of Lisbon in 1997 and succeeded to that title the following year. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Same-sex marriage undermines families
The Catholic bishops of New York reacted to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in the state by declaring “that both marriage and family will be undermined by this tragic presumption of government”.
The bishops said they were “deeply disappointed and troubled” at the approval of a Bill that will “alter radically and forever humanity’s historic understanding of marriage”.
State governor Andrew Cuomo signed the law on the same day it was approved by Senate. Same-sex marriage is currently also allowed in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, and the District of Columbia.
Eucharist as antidote to individualism
Speaking to pilgrims on the feast of Corpus Christi, Pope Benedict XVI said the Eucharist is the heart of Church life and an “antidote” to the increasingly individualistic global culture.
“In a culture that is more and more individualistic – a culture in which we are immersed in Western society, and that tends to spread itself throughout the world – the Eucharist constitutes a type of ‘antidote’, …It works in the minds and hearts of believers and continually disseminates in them the logic of communion, of service, of sharing – in short, the logic of the Gospel.”
The Pope said “the Church, despite human limits and errors, continued to be a force of communion in the world”.
Bishops on possible Swazi bailout
Talks on bailouts are not just a European phenomenon. The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference said South Africa should offer a potential bailout of neighbouring Swaziland, Africa’s only absolute monarchy.
“We believe the Swaziland government must abandon or at least reform the ‘Tinkhundla’ system of governance of royal favour and alliance which is a breeding place for corruption and greed,” Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, spokesman for the bishops’ conference, said.
“Monies intended for alleviating the people’s suffering are diverted to support the lavish lifestyle of the monarchy,” he said.
About 26 per cent of the adults of Swaziland suffer from an HIV/AIDS infection, the world’s highest rate. The country has the world’s lowest life expectancy at 32 years, and an unemployment rate of 40 per cent.
First pontifical tweet
On June 28 at about 6 p.m. the Pope tweeted for the very first time to announce the launch of the Vatican news website www.news.va: “Praised be Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI,” the Twitter feed reported.
News.va includes news from L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Radio, the Fides agency, which reports on missions, and other media.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)
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Victor Rodenas
Jul 3rd 2011, 10:31
On women Priests the Pope had said that this subject is closed and Cardinals,Priests, have no permission to talk on the subject.The irony is that the Pope accepts Protestant married Priests to enroll with the Christian Priests because they dissaproved women priests in their fold.